Northants ace Stone set to miss rest of season

Tom Vickers

Northants have suffered a big injury blow with the news that Olly Stone is likely to be out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Stone was sent for scans following last Friday’s NatWest T20 Blast win against Worcestershire Rapids and the results have shown that the 22-year-old has sustained a ‘compact knee injury with anterior cruciate ligament and cartilage involvement’.

Stone injured his knee while celebrating then attempted to bowl the final ball of his over before falling to the ground

That means the bowler is unlikely to play again this season, handing a threadbare Steelbacks squad bad news as they bid for glory in the T20 and Royal London One-Day Cup competitions.

Stone picked up the injury celebrating the wicket of Moeen Ali, with the Northants man jumping in the air and landing awkwardly.

He eventually got up and attempted to bowl the final ball of the over, but collapsed in a heap while doing so and was carried from the field.

“We will do all we can to support Olly through a programme of treatment and recovery,” said Barry Goudriaan, head physio at Northants.

“He couldn’t be in better hands with our local consultant Professor Bill Ribbans and now Mr Andrew Williams in London.”

Stone tweeted his disappointment, saying: “Absolutely gutted about my scan results, but will come back stronger because of it. Go well @NorthantsCCC lads #afinertown #steelbacks.”

And there could be more bad news to come for Northants, with Richard Levi currently undergoing scans on a shoulder injury sustained in the Royal London One-Day Cup defeat at Nottinghamshire Outlaws on Monday.